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I remember where I was in February 2004 when I first heard there was a girl missing named Maura Murray. As more and more facts came out through the weeks and months my mind went to one phrase over and over. “Run Maura Run…….”. There are hundreds if not thousands of theories. I won’t even try to touch on them. I did think of all the times that I could have easily gone missing. I thought of that day I sat in a room in Hilton Head Island (Westin) and I realized that before I checked into that hotel there was not one person in the world that knew where I was. It was….it was breathtaking to have that feeling. Some people have that rush when they do extreme sports or win a debate..I feel it when I am quite sure no one in the world knows where I am. I was young and not afraid. I thought about the day that I had my best friend drop me off at the airport on a whim and I flew off to parts unknown. No one knew where I was. (Sorry mom… she did realize I was missing and flipped out. I hate knowing that I caused her that feeling. However, it was a rush to realize no one could find me.) All my jobs that required travel… no one knew where I was. I can go on.

Maura what were you thinking that night with all the liquor in your car and yet another car accident when the stranger stopped by to ask if you were ok? I know most people, even if they are HUGE drinkers, prefer one type. You had liquor and wine. Were you going to meet someone Maura? Did you know you were in danger? Did you know you were running away or did you decide right then and there? Did you get that rush…and then run?

All that information that came out about you and your life. If you did run, I bet you never thought anyone would talk about it. You did not think anyone would care enough or you hoped no one would care enough. The stolen credit card, the car accident, the cheating on your fiance, all the “dirt” we all have in our own lives…all out for the public. Not only is it out there but there are entire sites dedicated to it where people fight daily about what they think you were feeling/doing/saying.

But no one knows do they Maura? If you were murdered, or if you died in the woods… or if you did run… No matter which, in your heart, you really were running weren’t you Maura? It might have been for the week, it may have been for life, but you were running. Maura…. I think about it to. I have for years. It must be thrilling to just walk away. I never could because of my parents. I could never hurt them like that and I would miss them too much. You…. you struggled with yours. So maybe that last thing that kept me here… maybe you did not have that and felt you were free to fly.

Maura, I think about you a lot. I keep up to date on your case. I wonder where you are. I hope you are at peace. Sometimes I am even jealous of you. Maura, no matter if you are in those NH woods or in Montreal very much alive I hope you are at peace. I hope no one ever finds you if you do not want to be found. I hope they find you today if you do want to be found.

I will always remember you then and now. I will always think the same thing I did when the story first broke that maybe… just maybe you had chosen to run away….

I am a strong believer that the best leaders are not the smartest or best educated people in the room. They are those that reflect on their own personal flaws and strengths and then build an army around them who support and add to their life. I do not care if you are a fan or not… a great example of this is George W Bush. Was he the smartest guy on the planet? Probably not Most liked? Nope, definitively not. Did he have his flaws? Absolutely!! He was voted President of our amazing nation. He was the most powerful man on the face of the earth for not ONE but TWO terms. Why? He was the perfect example of a leader in the true sense of the word. HE BUILT AN AMAZING SUPPORT SYSTEM. One of his best (in my tiny not important opinion) Condoleezza Rice.

My point being, we all need a support system. As I sat down today to think about it… based on my circle, I have no idea…

1. How I am so lucky

2. How I am not president

(Names changed… they know who they are….. 😉

Saiti Evangeline – Ahhh Saiti. My polar opposite. We make absolutely zero sense on paper. I met Saiti the first day in a new school. A girl I did know noticed we had the same schedule and asked her to show me around. Five minutes later? She promptly dumped me and I walked around lost and ended up in class late. I was HUMILIATED and decided that no matter how long it took, I would seek my revenge by making her be my best friend (hmmmm nope that makes no sense but it did at the time). It took me a solid three years but I did it. (Evil plan COMPLETE). I am blonde, Saiti has been every color but. I wore pastels, Saiti wore BLACK. I did not wear jewelry, Saiti wore a ton. I never had detention, Saiti had detention/suspension/etc. Saiti was brilliant and did not even have to open her book, I struggled daily. Saiti was fashion icon before her time, I was NOT. Saiti didn’t talk because she didn’t care to speak to you, I wanted to be everyone’s best friend. Saiti was GORGEOUS with milky white skin, huge eyes and creamy white skin. I was awkward, had freckles, glasses and mousy brown hair. Saiti was glamorous and mysterious, I was….just NOT. Saiti was rich, I was broke. I can keep going but I think you got my point. Over the years… Saiti found her voice and has not shut up since. I fell on my face a lot and retreated and became a bit more quiet. Saiti had beautiful babies, I decided not to. Saiti easily (and I will beat her if she denies this) flows into and out of different parts of her life. I fall, pick myself up, FALL, pick myself up, FALL.

Basically…. we have not changed all the much since high school. 🙂 We make no sense. We frustrate each other in many ways. I am quite sure at one point she was banned from talking to me by her husband (he should have and I adore him as well) and she ignored him. She is my everything and my balance and…. Saiti is my home. You know how you feel when you go home after a long time? Saiti is my home. My gorgeous, brilliant, successful, unorganized, perfect timing, fashionable home.

Ray (as in the perfect southern fashionable family name for a gorgeous woman)

Ahhh Ray…. After college I made a crazy decision to move to Hilton Head, SC for an internship. I was broke, tired, scared and had nothing going for me. 🙂 I went down with a group of friends and found out I had been placed in an apartment with three girls from the same super expensive, very fancy, you need to be smart, practically Ivy League college. I had a panic attack. I KNEW these girls were all in the same sorority. I KNEW these girls were going to be blonde and beautiful and smart and adorable. I KNEW I was going to hate them. I sat there waiting with two guy friends and in walked Ray…… Let me give you the picture. Boys: Their eyes bulged and their jaws hit the ground (I still hate you both traitors). Ray walked in… blonde (check), gorgeous (check), perfect body (check), huge smile (check), cute little accent (check) and sweet as anything (check). I hated her instantly. As she started to unpack we found something a little crazy… We had all the same stuff. Toiletries were all the same (WEIRD). We started talking and we had a lot of similarities. I still didn’t like her….. and I decided to seek my revenge… by making her be my best friend….. (do you see a pattern). I was successful.

What I realized quickly is that Ray…. guys loved her and girls who wanted to hate her, could not even when trying. I drank all summer for free. Why? “Hey, if I buy you a drink will you introduce me to your friend? “SURE. 🙂 What I realized after?? Boys were obsessed with Ray. She had NO IDEA either. I watched boy after boy fall madly in love. I watched boy after boy say they would do anything for her. One boy in particular, was Eric. He was the male version of Ray. Girls just FELL for him. I think of them just standing next to each other and it makes me smile. 🙂 Years later Ray met my dad…. who promptly and completely fell in total love with her. I stuck my finger down my throat when I heard him say the same thing EVERY guy says about Ray “wow, she is so gorgeous… I cannot explain it she is mesmerizing.” GROSS DAD…..

How Ray and I became friends, I will never understand. She had a million friends. She was in college and had three jobs. I was working my first job and working crazy hours. We did not have cell phones. We did not have any money to pay long distance charges. We only lived together six weeks. However, almost 15 years later??? She is my world. She is the ying to my yang. Ray is the perfect southern lady. She is polite and knows how to decorate and dress and manners. She can also cut you and do it with a smile and without breaking a sweat. I always spill something on myself, I have no idea how to decorate and what are manners? Ray is a bit more sensitive than I am. She can sense things I cannot, but sometimes she senses things that are not there to the extent she thinks they are and she drives herself insane. Me, it has to be black and white in front of me. 🙂

Interesting thing about Ray and me??? We have never once discussed politics…. I think that is hilarious. Which leads me to believe we are polar opposites, BUT it might be that we just think that and do not discuss. OR it might be that Ray is just so polite and well mannered and she just never discusses politics.

Ray is the girl I can call no matter how stupid or petty or huge the issue. Ray is the one that calls me no matter how petty or stupid or HUGE the issue is. Ray is the one that listens to my advice. You know those times you just want to curl up and cry with chocolate? Ray is my chocolate that I want to curl up with. 🙂

I have many other people on my team and I will talk about them all. These are my two rocks. 🙂 It leaves me with my initial question, with a team like this HOW AM I NOT PRESIDENT?